Your nightstand should be a place that is pretty and practical. Here are five items to add to keep your decorated bedside functional.
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A lamp
If you add nothing else from this list to your nightstand, at least add a lamp. Overhead lights are so harsh at night and don’t allow for your body to start winding down. Having a bedside lamp adds just enough light to read or journal before bed, while still keeping the atmosphere tranquil.
A trinket tray or dish
Use it a placeholder for the jewelry you forgot to take off before bed or a spot to keep your chapstick. Having a small organizer helps keep your nightstand looking orderly and only lets you have so much clutter.
Nightstand | Exact lamp | Similar lamp | Similar mini frame | Similar trinket dish | HRH book | Ooh la la print | Black frame
Something decorative
This is to help make the space look more intentional. Add a decorative (and functional) clock, a small statue, or a vase of flowers!
Alternatively, instead of adding something else to the surface of the nightstand, you can add something to the wall behind it. I’m a proponent of having a piece of art or a mirror hung just above you nightstand. It adds interest, and again, helps the space look intentional. Plus if you have a nightstand on each side of your bed using matching mirrors or coordinated art will tie the room together.
Something sentimental or personal
Your nightstand is one of the last things you see before falling asleep and the first thing you see when you wake up. Having a special photo or keepsake item there adds to the calming nature of your nighttime routine.
Books
Whether you love to read before bed or just like coffee table books for decoration add a book or two to your nightstand!
You can also use a book as a stand or tray that will help corral items and make the area look less cluttered.
The best coffee table books for home decor lovers
Have you ever heard you should group things in threes because it’s more pleasing to the eye? Try this: a large book as a base topped with a picture frame or other decorative item. Then add your trinket tray. Varying the height of items, even in a small way as I’ve done, creates a more interesting vignette.